The Living Dead in Retroville
by Genseeker25
Summary: An unknown virus has infected most of the world. Retroville is stormed by legions of the undead. Jimmy and his friends struggle to keep their friends and family alive as long as they can. Jimmy and Cindy are drawn even closer together through the peril
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Jimmy Neutron or any respective characters. This is a work in progress. Please let me know if I should continue with it. Thanks in advance.

The Living Dead in Retroville

In the not too distant future:

The media coverage was around the clock when it first happened. The headlines broadcasted that it was a virus of some kind that was spreading like wildfire. Scientists were brought in and even they couldn't believe the results. Soon the world had to face the truth. The recently deceased were returning to life to feed upon the living.

The militaries of all major countries fought night and day trying to contain the spread of infection. But still the numbers of the armies of the dead increased. Martial law was declared and safe houses were setup. Eventually all the safe houses were overrun and travel by road became impossible as traffic backed up. People were stuck in their own cars as waves of zombies passed by like a swarm of locusts they devoured all in their path. No one was spared as the zombies dragged the trapped victims out through broken windows.

The lucky ones were the ones that died in the early days of the infection. The unfortunate ones lived to face trying to live in a decimated world where resources were pushed thin. No matter how strongly fortified any shelter was didn't matter in the wake of starvation or drought since no supplies could get in or out.

Jimmy and his friends are pushed to the limits as they watch friends and family fall victim of the infection and life and death decisions have to be made at a moment's notice.

An uneventful day:

It was a day just like any other day. Jimmy was in his lab working on a few arbitrary experiments. It was mid afternoon and he decided it was time go see what Carl and Sheen were up to. He was greeted by someone running into him. It was Cindy, Carl, Libby and Sheen and they seemed to be scared of something. He quickly let them into the lab as shouts of lock the door filled the room.

They watched on his computer monitor as no less than six people came running at the door they had just sealed. These people were covered in horrible wounds and were screaming and pounding on the door. But it was in vain since the door was reinforced.

Jimmy: "are you guys OK and will someone tell me what is happening?"

Cindy, Carl, Libby, and Sheen: "we don't know those people just started chasing us!"

Cindy said "Libby and I were heading over to the Candy bar when we noticed what I thought was people fighting but they were eating someone. Then next thing I knew they started chasing us. Carl and Sheen luckily got the hint and ran with us. I figured this would be the safest place for any of us to be so we headed here."

Jimmy:" Let me check the news feeds and see if anyone knows what is causing this."

The gang watched the monitor as video feeds started pouring in about attacks happening all over the world. They were telling people to stay inside and not to try to contact family and friends. The victims seemed to be in some kind of trance like state and would even attack loved ones. More reports claimed that it was the recently deceased and the only sure way to incapacitate them was destroying the brain.

Jimmy turned to the group and said "I find it hard to believe but it must be the living dead, how else do you explain a man walking around with broken neck like that?"

Cindy responded reflexively" how do you explain a boy walking around with such a terrible haircut?"

Jimmy: "very funny vortex." Jimmy glared at her as the rest of the gang laughed.

Cindy smirked and said "You love it."

He sighed and shook his head as he smiled. He really did love her and had to admit to himself that was clever of her but he certainly wasn't going to let her know that. As much as he hated to admit it to himself she really did make him so proud. Even now she was brave and still making wise cracks.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own any characters in this story though I regret that I don't. If I had they would still be having adventures on TV.

* * *

Outside the lab:

The security camera outside the lab door panned back and forth scanning it's surroundings. Jimmy caught something on the camera he didn't expect to see. His father had climbed up in the back yard tree and the base of the tree was surrounded by the ravenous creatures that were leaping and swatting their hands at his cowering form that was tightly wrapped around the tree branch which put him mere inches out of their reach.

"Holy Heisenberg!" Jimmy jumped out of his computer chair and paced back and forth panic was in his eyes. "I have to save my dad"

"What are we going to do Jimmy?" Cindy asked the concern and worry now apparent in her eyes. He ran to a lab wall and opened up a panel that was all but invisible on the wall a moment before. It revealed a series of buttons that he pressed in an unknown sequence. There was a rush of air escaping and a panel in the wall went up revealing a passage. "Follow me" he waved to his friends to follow him and they entered the passage. It led down to a sealed steel door with the Neutron symbol painted on to it in red paint. He turned to face his friends and never looked so serious in his life.

"Ever since the Yolkiens attacked us I knew we would need weapons to defend ourselves with in case we ever got invaded again. I downloaded the blueprints of various firearms that are currently available and replicated them here in the lab. The door opened and they walked into a fairly large room that was lined with weapons mounted on the walls. In the far back corner there were grates of ammunition labeled with the weapon name they were designated for.

Cindy walked over to an Ak-47 and removed it from the wall. She turned to Jimmy and smiled "How do I look?" He smiled and replied "It's definitely you" He quickly demonstrated how to load and unload, clear jams and to fire each weapon his friends took. Carl took a Mp-5, Sheen took an M-4 carbine with a flashlight mounted under the barrel. Libby decided to take a lever action rifle that was bored out for .357 magnum rounds and Jimmy settled on a 12-gauge shotgun. Jimmy insisted they all take secondary side arms. He passed out holsters for the handguns each one of his friends had chosen and then he slipped a leather harness over his shoulders and slid the 12- gauge shotgun into the holster. They were ready to go.

"How do we get top side? Those things are right at the door?"

"I have a secret entrance into the house." He led them to another control panel and a door slid open revealing a elevator. They all hurried in and the door closed as the metal chains went tight and the elevator started climbing. They stepped out of the elevator and they realized they had walked out of the fireplace in Jimmy's living room. They kept their weapons at the ready and crept low till they could peer out the sliding glass door. The zombies were still trying to reach Hugh. Cindy grew impatient and stepped outside and aimed at the mob and fired. The rifle bucked in her hands and her ears were ringing from the sound. Her shot went high barely missing Hugh. The bullet hit the tree sending splinters of bark outward. The mob turned to face the source of the sound.

They stared for a moment before they started running toward Cindy who stood there shocked and wasn't moving a muscle. Jimmy grabbed her by her arm and yanked her back inside pausing a moment to lock the door. The glass door wouldn't stop them for long but it would buy them sometime. Goddard was barking frantically as the first of the zombies hit the glass. The glass cracked with a spider web like pattern spreading across it. Goddard turned and darted away as the glass gave out. The friends ran up the stairs sending shots into the crowd as the mob advanced mere yards behind them. Jimmy and Cindy shoved the bureau in front of his bedroom door and were leaning into it as the zombies pounded on the door outside. Sheen in his panic fired some rounds at the door right over Cindy's head. The wood chipped and pieces of shrapnel cut her forehead. Jimmy saw the blood running slowly down her face and his anger flared up for a moment. He wasn't sure what came over him but he had punched Sheen in the face. Sheen was on the ground holding his bloody nose and barely heard Cindy screaming at him to help her. She was leaning into the bureau with all her might but she was starting to slide as the door was being forced open. Jimmy along with Carl rushed back to the door and hit the bureau hard as they could. The door slammed shut once again. They couldn't keep this up forever though. It was taking the three of them to hold the bureau at this point so Jimmy had to shout orders to Sheen who was still hurt and a tad bitter.

"Sheen, I'm sorry I hit you but this isn't the time for that. We are going to die unless you do exactly what I say. Remove that picture off the wall." Jimmy pointed at a picture of his parents and his worry flared up. He hadn't seen his mother since this morning before it all started. His heart beat was racing and he closed his eyes and started breathing deeply trying to calm himself down.

Sheen obeyed and he pressed the button sequence as Jimmy instructed. Steel bars suddenly slid down blocking the entrance of the room. They came down with enough force that they sheared off sections of the bureau as they went. They stepped back finally safe. The zombies managed to rip the door off of it's hinges and knocked the bureau down. They roared in frustration and waved their arms back and forth through the gaps of the bars.

The gang stared in shock at how grotesque some of these creatures were. Some were missing eyes and limbs but some were much worse.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Through the bars:

The friends took the opportunity to practice with their weapons as they fired into the mob that was stopped at the door. The shots tore off chunks of rotted flesh but still the zombies howled and raged at the door. "The news reports said you have to hit them in the head" He stepped closer pulled out his .357 magnum and fired. The shot blew off the top of the target's scalp and it dropped to the ground no longer moving. He carefully cleared the door way in similar fashion.

Once the door way was clear they retracted the bars and slowly exited the room. They stepped past the fallen creatures and crept back down the stairs. The yard was temporarily free of undead. They kept guard as Hugh climbed back down from the tree and they moved quietly back into the house.

"Thanks Jimbo. Have you seen your mother, I don't think she came back from the supermarket?"

"No I haven't seen her since this morning, I'm sure she's fine dad." His voice didn't sound as confident as he had hoped.

He handed his father the reloaded .357 and a box of ammunition. They quietly crept next door entered Carl's house. Carl's dad jumped out with a broom and the group all squealed out their SHHHHs at the same time.

"Dad I think it would be best if you stayed here with the Weazer's while we try to find mom."

"Alright Jimbo, I'm sure you know whats best." Jimmy felt the pride fill him at his father's words.

"Guys I think it's best if I go alone I don't want you to risk your lives. This could be a suicide mission. They all ducked down as the human silhouettes passed by the drawn curtains in the front bay window.

Jimmy continued his voice a whisper " It would be for the best if you guys keep this place safe for when I return." Cindy defiantly responded "your not going anywhere without me. Besides you need someone to watch your back. Carl, Sheen, and Libby can stay here and keep our families safe but you need me."

He hated to admit it but she was right. "ok if your sure."

"I have never been surer of anything in my life" _Accept my love for you._

He didn't like the fact that she was risking her life like this but it did make him feel better knowing she was watching out for him. They slipped out the back door window and the group spread out in the house to guard the exits. They would use the basement if they had to fall back if the things broke into the house.

Jimmy and Cindy slipped out of the house and crept their way back to the lab to grab the hovercar. The engine sputtered and roared to life. A zombie walked into view and let out a shrill roar. It started running toward them. Cindy leveled her rifle and aimed carefully. Her shot was true and the zombie dropped to the ground as the hover car lifted off the ground. He had the hovercar rise till about a hundred feet in the air and Cindy and Jimmy stared out over the neighborhood. The streets were crawling with zombies. They could see fires in the distance. They heard the sounds of gunshots and people screaming.

He pointed the hovercar in the direction of the market and headed off. The zombies looked up and saw the hovercar and started following. They roared out in agitation from the sight of potential prey. Jimmy increased the speed lowered the car toward the ground to try to minimize the chance of being spotted. The mob fell behind and out of sight.

They heard the sound of a girl screaming so they turned down the next street toward the source. It was Betty Quinlan. She was running as fast as she could and there were three zombies hot on her tail. Jimmy pulled up behind them and Cindy brought them down smooth and efficiently. He stopped the hovercar and Betty hopped in. Three more zombies raced over as the hovercar started to rise. The zombies held onto the side and were scratching and clawing as saliva sprayed out of their ravenous jaws. Cindy stepped forward and used the buttstock of her weapon. She raised her weapon high and slammed it down on their faces one at a time. The zombies fell fifty feet to the ground with a horrendous thud. Jimmy stared in horror as one was still moving on the ground despite the fact that its back was twisted at an unnatural angle. He quickly put it out of its misery and resumed driving. Cindy tended to Betty who besides scared out of her wits was unharmed.

"Thanks guys, I owe you one. What the hell is going on"

"The news says its some viral outbreak that is making people go crazy." It was as close to the truth without having to deal with the explanation of the living dead. "I have to find my mom. She went to the supermarket before this all started and hasn't returned."

When they approached the supermarket they could see people standing on the rooftop waving their arms and shouting for help. Jimmy felt relieved when he saw one of them was his mother. He set the hovercar down and hopped out. He hugged his mother and then tried to answer the questions of the group of survivors that consisted of most of the adults in the town including his principle and teacher. Apparently everyone had rushed to the store to try to buy supplies when the emergency broadcast warnings started running on the television. The trouble hit the town faster than anyone here had anticipated.

"Dad is safe at the Weazer's along with Libby, Sheen, Carl, and his family."

"Oh mercifully heavens I'm glad to hear that Jimmy." She hugged him tighter.

Cindy and Betty were busy speaking to their own families so he didn't feel as embarrassed as he might have been otherwise.

"We have to get everyone together. There are a lot of kids out there that are in terrible danger." No one could disagree. The zombies were running back and forth among the houses and a horde was growing at the base of the supermarket.

Jimmy and Cindy climbed back into the hovercar and Jimmy prepared the car for takeoff despite the adults demand that they stay. "It's too dangerous for you two to do this" The entire group of adults kept repeating this argument but Jimmy turned to them and said calmly "It's what I'm here for."

"But why does my Cynthia have to go with you?" Mrs. Vortex pleaded. "

Cindy looked her mother in the eyes and in front of everyone calmly said "Mom, no one works better with Jimmy than I do. I know we have fought a lot in the past but the truth is he is best friend in the whole world. I couldn't live with myself if anything ever happened to Jimmy and I didn't do everything I could to help him."

"Cindy, please don't do this." Mrs. Vortex pleaded with her daughter but the resolve gleamed in Cindy's eyes and her mother knew there was nothing more she could say or do to stop her daughter. "Mom, I love him." The crowd let out a sound of shock and Jimmy's eyes grew wide when the words processed through his mind. She turned to face Jimmy and said "let's get this thing in the air." It was more of an order than a statement.

The car rose quietly and they sped off into the distance. Jimmy turned to look at Cindy "Cindy?"

"Yes, Jimmy?"

"Did you mean what you said? Do you love me?"

"Isn't it obvious Jimmy?"

He reached out and held her hand "I love you too. They made eye contact and they both knew in their hearts how much they meant to each other.

They were still holding hands as they approached the CandyBar. The front of the building was swarming with zombies. The front windows were gone and the zombies were rattling the steel grated shutters Sam had locked into place. His patrons hid inside not sure what to do.

To be continued:


	4. Chapter 4

At the Candy Bar:

Jimmy assessed the situation. The patrons were safe for now so they could take their time and manage a safe evacuation when they were better prepared. Cindy agreed with this idea and they moved on to look for other survivors but not before promising Sam that they would be back soon.

As they flew around the town Cindy's mind kept drifting back to when Jimmy had hit Sheen. There was only one other time she could think of when he seemed so mad but no that was a silly thought but still it bothered her.

" Jimmy about earlier….when you hit Sheen" he immediately interrupted her " that was stupid of me I shouldn't have done it but he hurt you and well he clearly made you bleed, what if he had shot you?" She turned to look at him and they lost themselves in the moment. They were interrupted out of their trance by shouts for help.

They could see that Nick and Brittany had climbed to the top of Retroville radio station radio antenna and were trapped. The base was surrounded by over a hundred zombies.

"Hey Neutron Give us a hand!" Nick called out

Jimmy pulled the hover car directly under them so they could hop in. Thanks were exchanged and Jimmy and Cindy decided they should head back to the supermarket and plan their next move.

"Thanks a lot Neutron I was sure we were goners. Brittany and I were just chillin' and next thing I knew those creeps were after us. I can't believe one of em actually bit me." Jimmy turned to see what Nick was talking about and saw the teeth marks on Nick's hand. It wasn't bad but he should still have it looked at.

Once they were back at the market Dr. Stone examined the cut on Nick's hand and cleaned it up with some antiseptic. "You're a very lucky boy. That could have been a lot worse."

Nick thanked the doctor and wandered off to the far side of the roof with Brittany so they could be as he called it "alone".

Jimmy and Cindy stood off to the side and started discussing what the next move should be when they were interrupted by Betty. "Thanks a lot for earlier guys. I wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for you, especially you Jimmy." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. His face flushed with heat and his eyes went out of focus for a moment. When Jimmy looked up he didn't see Cindy anywhere. His heart dropped and the guilt raced through his chest.

"Betty, where did Cindy go?" His eyes searched back and forth through the groups of people.

"Oh she walked off over that way. Do you have any idea what's causing this Jimmy?" He didn't hear her last question. He looked off in the direction she pointed at but all he saw was the door for the stairs that led downstairs from the roof and the door was open.

He pushed Betty to the side and darted toward the door. He took the stairs two at a time and stopped when he found Cindy sitting at the bottom of the stairs. The door that led into the market was still locked and she was simply sitting quietly by herself. "Cindy, are you OK?"

"What do you care?" The anger was clear in her voice. The stairwell seemed small and the temperature was going up by the minute. "Why don't you go check on your dream girl?" this came out incredibly snotty. He didn't realize how hard he was biting his lip until he tasted the blood.

"Cindy, I know it might be hard for you to believe this, but I am checking on her." She turned to look at him and he could tell she had been crying. "What? Do? Do you mean that?"

"To be honest with you…I dream about you all the time. In fact I've been dreaming about you since we first met. I'm not saying they were always the best dreams. You tormented me in some of them but there were others where we got along really well. Those dreams became more frequent as you and I got closer the last year or so."

Her eyes were watery and she had to wait a moment to prepare herself for what she said next "Jimmy, I'm sorry that we haven't always gotten along. You made me so angry at times with your constant bragging. Not to mention the fact that you always had to show me up with every project we did for school."

"You know Cindy, without you I wouldn't have any competition at school at all. I love competing with you. In fact there were times when it was all I could think about was beating you and I realized about a year ago that you made me a better person because you motivated me, gave me something to strive for..I guess what I'm trying to say is." He paused and looked down at the ground the red in his cheeks had returned and he hesitated not sure if he should say what he clearly wanted to say. Cindy volunteered by filling in the missing piece. "What you're trying to say is your maybe a little obsessed with me?" she looked up at him with her doe like eyes and waited for his response.

"Exactly, unless that makes you uncomfortable because if it does than." She pressed her finger to his lips "Shhhhhhhhhh it doesn't make me uncomfortable." she whispered. She slid closer to him on the step and his heart raced as her arm pressed up against his. He felt his skin flush again and the nervousness made his stomach lurch for a moment. _Its amazing how she makes me feel sometimes. This would be a lot easier if she wasn't so beautiful and smart. So downright irresistible..._

He steadied his nerves and leaned in and kissed her. She tasted good and he never wanted it to end. They embraced as the kiss grew deeper and they held each other tightly.

The kissing couple was snapped out of the trance when they were rudely interrupted.

"What are you doing?" Nick asked. Cindy and Jimmy leapt out of each other's arms and turned to face Nick.

"I don't believe it Cindy and Neutron actually kissing. Oleander is not going to believe it."

"Believe what?" asked Betty as she joined the little group at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh nothing, just Jimmy and Cindy swapping spit." Nick replied.

Betty looked at the clearly embarrassed couple and smiled. "So you both finally admitted your feelings for each other?" she nodded her head as if this was something she had been eagerly waiting for.

"You mean you knew? You actually knew we liked each other?" Jimmy blurted out. He turned to face Cindy but she remained quiet and simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Of course I knew. The whole town knows."

"The whole town knows?" Jimmy and Cindy both asked in surprise.

"Yes, it is so obvious. Where should I start? Ok well you both compete fiercely and argue about anything simply to make up excuses to speak to each other. Cindy was actually the most obvious with her outbursts of jealousy. Remember when we got stuck in that other dimension during your magic show? Well I told Cindy back than that I knew all about your little thing. She denied it of course. But she is a terrible liar. I really am happy for you both. It's about time. Come on Nick let's give them some privacy." She grabbed Nick by his arm and half dragged him up the stairs.

Once they were alone again the room felt a tad awkward. Cindy started to say something but Jimmy sighed and cut her off. "Cindy, you told your mom that you loved me in front of every adult here and, apparently if you take Betty's word for it, the whole town knows about us anyhow. Hell with it." he said and pulled her close and kissed her.

Twenty four hours later:

All the survivors that could be found were rounded up and brought to the elementary school. The doors were chained and guarded. The shatter proof glass proved strong enough to keep the zombies out and there were plenty of rooms for everyone to sleep in. Jimmy had used his hypercube to transport bedding, vast quantities of food, and weapons for the survivors to be safe and fed for months. The perishables were stored in the refrigerator units that were in the school cafeteria.

The kids were playing in the school gym and the music almost drowned out the sounds of the zombies moaning outside. People were trying to continue on with their lives the best they could despite the circumstances. Sam had volunteered along with some of the other adults to prepare the meals for everyone. Judy was busy making more of her famous pies. Hugh was waiting patiently to eat them.

About twelve hours after Nick been rescued he had starting complaining that he wasn't feeling very good. This continued on most of the day and his symptoms were only getting worse. By the time thirty hours had passed since he was bitten he had slipped into a coma. Doctor Stone had given him a shot filled with antibiotics but they didn't seem to be helping. All they could do now was keep him covered and wait to see what happens.

Later that night Nick took a turn for the worst and died in his sleep. Brittany had stayed by his side since he had gotten sick and she was holding his hand when his heart stopped. Sadly this was no longer a world where the dead stay dead. He killed her and was consuming her when Betty walked in. She screamed at the very sight of Nick eating Brittany. This was the worst thing Betty could do since it made Nick turn to face the source of the scream and when he saw Betty he roared and rushed in to attack her.

Jimmy had been coming to check on Nick when he heard the screams. He ran in and found Nick attacking Betty and Brittany's partially eaten yet reanimated corpse crawling on the ground toward where Nick and Betty were struggling. Jimmy pulled his sidearm and shot Nick two times in the head before he dropped to the ground and stayed motionless. He quickly stepped forward and put Brittany out of her misery.

Betty was swaying on her feet and staggered toward him calling out his name in a voice that was no more than a whisper.

Jimmy was at Betty's side as she gasped for air. Nick had torn a chunk out of her cheek and her throat. The air was wheezing in and out as she struggled to breathe. Jimmy put pressure on her torn artery and tried to stop the flow of blood that was pumping out with each beat of her heart. His shouts for help brought Doctor Stone. He rushed over with the medical supplies but there was nothing he could do. Jimmy held her hand as she closed her eyes and took her last breath.

She lay so still Jimmy doubted for a moment if she was going to turn like Nick did. But she sat up and turned to face him. He could see her eyes had glazed over with death and she was one of them. The tears stung his eyes as he raised his handgun. She was getting to her feet so he had to act. Doctor Stone had already retreated out of the room so it was up to him. He waited till she actually attacked before he fired. She dropped to the ground and slid to a stop. He waited to make sure she was really dead and then walked out of the room carefully shutting the door behind him.

Cindy, Carl, and Sheen were waiting for him. Carl opened his mouth to say something but the look on Jimmy's face stopped him. He muttered that he wanted to be alone for awhile and walked off down the hallway. _Maybe I'm seeing things but were his eyes green?_ Cindy struggled with her thoughts for a moment but then came to a decision. She would confront Jimmy about her suspicions at a later time. It was more important for now that she try to comfort him in his time of need. She turned to face Carl and Sheen. "Go get his parents and tell them what happened." Her statement was a half order and half plea. She then ran after Jimmy. She caught up with him and grabbed hold of his hand and fell into keeping pace with him. He pulled her closer and wrapped his arm around her as they walked. She stared into his beautiful green eyes as he stared back at her. _I was right. _He smiled and said "you know I find it so calming to be around you sometimes. She watched as the glint of green in his eyes vanished and the sapphire eyes she had grown fond of were staring back at her._ We have to have a serious talk very soon.  
_

Carl and Sheen watched as Jimmy and Cindy walked out of sight before they dashed off to find the Neutrons.

To be continued…..


	5. Chapter 5

Cindy sat with Jimmy in their old class room. She gently rubbed his back as she listened patiently to him vent about everything that he had to go through. She had hesitated about asking about his eyes shifting colors and when she tried they were interrupted when Jimmy's mom and dad knocked on the door and asked if he could have a word alone with Jimmy. Cindy left the room and sat in the hallway and waited. She was glad to have this moment to collect her thoughts. She sat in her yoga position and meditated. She felt more focused with each breath.

The talk:

Mom, Dad the worst part is when I shot my class mates and Betty it wasn't her or them that I was worried about. I couldn't get the idea out of my head that it could have easily been Cindy that was in front of me. What if she had been the one that Nick attacked? I feel guilty for thinking that way but I can't help it."

"Jimbo, it is totally natural for you to feel that way. If anything happened to you or your mother I wouldn't know what I would do. It may feel selfish to focus on the ones you care about the most but we are only human. It's up to gods to never love one above the rest. You do love her don't you son?" Jimmy turned to look up at his dad. His dad waited and the sincerity of his question couldn't be ignored.

"Yeah I do dad."

"Then you have nothing to be ashamed of son."

Jimmy wrapped his arms tightly around his dad and said "Thanks dad." I love the both of you so much. He hugged his mom and she kissed him in the forehead.

"That's what we're here for son. Well I'll be around if you need us. I think for now you should spend some time with your friend Cindy." They got up and left the door open as they exited. Judy and Hugh saw Cindy waiting in the hallway and smiled. "Thanks for sending Carl and Sheen to get us. You did the right thing." The Neutrons said.

"I'm glad my Jimbo found someone special like you to look out for him. I know he seems like he can handle anything but everyone needs help sometimes, even geniuses."

"Thanks Mr. Neutron that means a lot to me."

"No Cindy, thank you. Well he's waiting for you." He nodded toward the room and then turned and walked away holding Mrs. Neutron's hand.

She went back into the room and he sat with his head in his hands. He still seemed so sad that she started to second guess herself. "Jimmy, I have to ask you something"

He looked up and surprised her when he replied that he had something to ask her as well.

"You go first Jimmy." She waited patiently. She could tell he seemed nervous so she reached out and placed her hand over his "its ok Jimmy. You can ask me anything you want."

His eyes met hers and he let out a small sigh before he spoke. "Cindy, do you want to be my girlfriend?"

She was so overwhelmed with the excitement that he finally asked to make it official that she completely forgot what she wanted to ask him. "Are you asking me out?" she asked sheepishly.

His cheeks flushed completely red but he managed to answer. "Yes, Yes I am."

She clapped her hands together and couldn't stop smiling as she blurted out "Of course I do Jimmy, I mean I accept."She stepped forward and hugged him tightly. She looked into his eyes and lost herself in his extreme good looks. It should be noted that he lost himself in her extreme good looks as well. They sealed their newly formed union with the Gorlockin seal of trust.

"Is it ok if I tell Libby?" She asked excitedly.

"Tell anyone and everyone you want. I'm proud to have you as my girlfriend and I want the whole world to know." He shouted that last part and it made her laugh. She said I'll be back but I just have to find her. "Cindy wait, one last thing." She turned to face him at the entrance to the door. "Would you maybe want to stay in the classroom that my parents and I are staying in tonight? I know they won't mind if you sleep over. It's not going to be easy for me to get to sleep tonight and I would prefer to have you near me."

"It's ok Jimmy I understand. I would love too." They shared one last of those contagious grins and she dashed off to find Libby. He figured this would be a perfect time to tell Carl and Sheen before they heard it second hand from Libby.

2AM:

Cindy was lying in Jimmy's arms and both were sleeping soundly. Judy pulled the blanket up over their shoulders and then headed back to lie down next to Hugh. "He's finally asleep Hugh." The worry was showing in her tone and her expression.

"This isn't easy for anyone Sugarboogar. Jimbo is strong though and I'm glad he has _close_ friends to watch out for him" He glanced over at Cindy to emphasize his point. Judy followed his gaze and sighed softly. "You're right Hugh. She is such a sweet heart these days. Remember how Jimmy used to tell us how awful she was too him. It's amazing to see how close they have grown together. I don't know if he would be handling this as well as he has if she wasn't there for him."

Jimmy suddenly twitched and moaned in his sleep. Cindy groaned from the sudden disturbance and snuggled in tighter against him. His dreams had turned for the worst and his nightmare was clearly getting to him.

_He was running through the hallways of the school. He was frantically searching for something but he couldn't remember what he was searching for. He could sense he was being followed. He could hear the footsteps pounding after him. The terror raced through him and he ran harder but he couldn't seem to outdistance his pursuer. He found himself at a dead end and turned and saw it was a group of his friends. But they were all dead. They were in varying levels of decay. Carl's stomach was bloated with gases and his intestines had burst out of his body. They were dragging along the ground as he grew closer. Sheen was missing the top of his skull and his brain was festering with green puss and flies were buzzing all around. _

_Libby was missing one of her arms and her face was partially eaten. But the worst one was Betty. Betty came right up to him and smiled at him. Her lips were missing and it made her smile look even more gruesome. One of her eyes was missing and a worm was wiggling around out of her ripped up eye socket. "It's your fault Jimmy" she said. Black blood was oozing out of her mouth as she spoke. "You let me die. You let us all die." Betty snapped her fingers and the group dragged out Cindy. She was alive but his dead friends were salivating at the mere sight of her. She was pleading for him to help her but he couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He struggled but all he could do was watch as they started eating Cindy. She grabbed on to him and opened her mouth wide and pulled him close. He screamed as her teeth clamped down on his throat._

Cindy woke to the sound of screaming. It was such a rude awakening that it took her a moment to realize where she was. She frantically looked around for the source and realized it was coming from Jimmy. She quickly rolled over to face him. Hugh and Judy were already climbing out of their bed. Jimmy's screams changed to a horrendous roar that shook the windows. He convulsed and his eyes opened and locked onto Cindy's they were green and filled with rage but somehow she felt it wasn't directed at her. His skin turned red as his muscles bulged and his torso grew longer. The bed buckled under his increasing weight and he hit the ground with a thud and rolled over. His body contorted and his limbs started to stretch and expand. His clothing tore as he expanded with seemingly no end. He managed to get on his knees and supported his increasing body weight by leaning on his left hand. He groaned and growled as he grew larger. He slammed his right fist onto the ground and the walls shook. One of the windows cracked. He stood up and hit his head on the ceiling. He elbowed the ceiling in his frustration and chunks of plaster fell to the ground.

Cindy simply stared up at his face. He was over ten feet tall and he was even more muscular than she remembered from their time as the N-Men. She had seen him change before but this was different somehow. She noted he was clearly not orange like the last time and just like last time she was powerless and at his mercy.

_HE couldn't bring himself to kill me last time and I don't think he'll do it this time. I hope._

She stepped toward him slowly. "Jimmy? Can you hear me?" He looked at her and stared for a moment.

_Blond girl in danger! Jimmy must save!_ His thoughts were only of her safety as he wrapped his left arm around her and smashed through the nearest wall and rampaged down the school hallway. Cindy couldn't do anything but keep her head down and hope that he wouldn't hurt her. She could tell he was heading toward the roof.

The zombies had gathered by the hundreds around the school. They could sense the prey inside but couldn't figure out how to get in. The sounds from the building had made them grow agitated. Their moans could be heard over the sound of the thunder. He roared in response so loud that Cindy had to throw her hands up to cover her ears.

He placed one foot on the ledge that surround the roof and was about to leap off when Cindy shouted "Jimmy? Wait! What are you doing?" But it was too late. Jimmy leapt high into the air. The air rushed by and Cindy's hair flew around wildly. She could see the ground rushing up to greet them and she braced herself for the impact. It was remarkably softer than she had anticipated. Jimmy had cleared the entire school parking a lot and had landed in the street about five hundred yards away. He hit the ground running. Zombies nearby bolted after them. Cindy looked back at the crowd that had gathered behind Jimmy. It looked like a marathon. He ran faster and the crowd fell far behind. But more came running in from the front. He raised his right arm and swatted them away like flies. They were everywhere it seemed.

He leapt again and they landed in the center of Retroville Park. He placed Cindy high up in the branches of a tree and turned to face the hundreds of zombies that were running toward him. He roared and prepared to charge in. "Jimmy! What are you doing? They'll kill you! Don't do this!" She was hysterical and almost to tears.

"Stay here Blond girl. Jimmy smash!" He collided with the first wave of zombies and waded in. He swatted the first ones with powerful swings of his arms. Bodies went flying off and some crumpled from the initial impact. He slammed his fists down on them and snapped necks, arms and legs as he fought his way through the swelling crowd. He had incredible strength but they had incredible numbers. They rushed in like ants and swarmed over him. Hundreds piled in and still hundreds more were on their way. She could only hold onto to her tree branch and watch.

She lost sight of Jimmy in the sheer volume of zombies that had swarmed over him. She strained in vain to for any signs of Jimmy. She tried to listen for sounds of his voice but the moans and groaning were overwhelming. _Oh no. He's gone. There were too many of them._

She realized she had thought this too soon. Zombies went flying every which way when Jimmy stood up and threw his arms wide. His roar shook the very tree she was in to its roots. He clapped his hands together and a powerful wind was accompanied by a noise that sounded like a bomb going off. The line of zombies for about a mile back fell over from the sheer force of the wind. They started climbing to their feet and he stomped the ground with all his might. A mini earthquake ripped the earth apart under their feet and they fell into the cavern that had formed. He looked into the cavern and it was littered with broken bodies. The zombies were still crawling around but no longer could walk. A group of no more than ten zombies came darting in from another direction and Jimmy tore the water fountain of the old miner out of the ground and threw it at them. It collided and they were bowled over.

He looked back and forth and determined that at the moment there was no longer a threat to blond girl so Jimmy returned to Cindy. He reached up and carefully picked her up. He then gently put her up on his shoulders. She wrapped her legs tightly around his neck and used his hair to hold on tightly as he started walking through the park. He kept a vigilant look out for more of them. _Wow this is actually pretty cool. He's protecting me. Jimmy must be in there somewhere. Maybe with practice Jimmy could learn to change at will. _"Uhm Jimmy?"

"Blond girl?"

"Please call me Cindy?"

"Cin...dee,? Cindy?"

"Yes, do you remember who I am?"

"Cindy special to Jimmy."

"Yup, I'm your girlfriend."

"Girl…. friend? Cin dee love Jimmy?"

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his head. "Yeah I love you."

"Jimmy take Cindy some place safe." Before she could ask any questions he leapt into the air. She looked down at Retroville as they passed over head. She could get used to this. They landed and he immediately leapt again only changing the course of their path slightly. They traveled for about three miles when they landed on the very street they used to live on. He walked quietly through the yards keeping an eye out for any of the creatures. He put her down outside the lab door turned around to keep watch.

"Jimmy I need one of your hairs to open the door. He knelt back down and lowered his head so she could reach. She tugged with all her might but she couldn't do it. "Hmm they seem to be on their pretty good. Anyway you could get one for me?" He reached up and pulled one out himself. The door slid open and she stepped inside. He was too large to fit. He looked around the yard and was sure it was clear. He groaned out as he shrunk back down to normal. He was surprised to discover where he was. "How did I get here?"

"Do you always talk to yourself?" Jimmy turned and was surprised to see Cindy standing in the open doorway to his lab.

"Nice butt Neutron." Cindy remarked. It was at that point that he realized he was completely naked. She had expected him to blush at the remark but he simply walked into the lab without even so much as trying to cover himself up. In fact he kissed her on the cheek as he passed by her. "Thanks, well you're my girlfriend so I suppose I should get used to it." She grinned and followed after him.

Once they were in his lab he grabbed her one of his spare robe so she could get out of her wet pajamas and changed into some new clothing that had grabbed out of his room by using the secret entrance from the lab. Cindy's pajamas were being dried in his lab and would be ready in about an hour so they had some time to kill.

They sat around drinking hot chocolate as Cindy explained everything that had happened leading up to their arrival at the lab.

To be continued…..


	6. Chapter 6

Cindy completed her story and Jimmy prepared some tests. He would need to do a full scan on the creature to get a better idea of what was actually happening inside of him. "Now this could be dangerous. But if the creature protected you and willingly brought you here I suppose you would be the safest person to be around for this. He was strapped to the very same table they had used when their minds were uploaded into the virtual brain pod. The device was recalibrated to simply deliver a powerful yet controlled electronic shock that would stimulate the part of the brain that Jimmy assumed would trigger the change. Cindy pulled the lever and the shock was delivered. _Pain, hot white flash. _

He changed into the creature with the same audible growls and shrieks of pain as his body stretched and expanded. The table buckled under his weight and the bands snapped as he became too large for the restraints. He calmed down and relaxed a little when he looked around his location and even smiled when he saw Cindy watching him patiently. Her voice was soothing and he listened to her explanation that he must stay where he is for the testing to be completed. It was difficult for him to understand at first but he felt that a fog was lifting from his mind. "Jimmy I'm not sure how well you understand me but I was thinking about something earlier. Try doing what of your brain blasts."

"Brain blast?" What is brain blast?" His brow wrinkled in confusion.

"It's something you do when you have a problem you need to solve. You think deeply."

He concentrated with all his might in his attempt to make her happy. His eyes opened his expression changed to one of surprise. "Cindy, what happened? I'm still in this body?"

"Oh wow it actually worked. I suggested to the creature to try to do one of your brain blasts and it seems your consciousness took over."

"Hmm that is interesting. It seems the more often I change into this body the better control I'll have over it. The change is painful and my guess is that my mind created a partition to handle it. But as my system gets used to it and with a little concentration I can switch between the two parts of my mind. I can see where that could come in handy. If I had to fight something that was more than I could mentally handle the anger would take over and the creature could fight with mindless rage which could be more adapted to handle the brute fighting.

Let me see if I can change back." He concentrated for a moment and he shrunk back down to his human size again. "Well that wasn't so bad that time. I might be able to make use of my power after all, but I'll have to make a costume that is stretchable to accommodate my growth since now I have to grab another change of clothing. "Vox initiate wardrobe change PA822."

He read the results and hadn't said anything as he remained in deep concentration. After about ten minutes of silence Cindy couldn't take it anymore. "Well did you learn anything? I thought you cured yourself of the mutant gene. So how could this happen?"

"Well it really wasn't a cure. The mutant gene had become permanently part of our actual DNA code. There was no way of removing it. So I created an inhibitor that simply repressed the gene and made it recessive which effectively canceled out our powers. As you know, our powers were burning up our metabolisms and if I hadn't repressed them we all would have died. It seems that my system adapted to the gene and my repressor no longer is effective on it. Due to the adaptation the gene is no longer burning out my system.

The gene gave each one of us unique abilities based on our individual DNA. The creature is larger and red this time. This leads me to assume that my powers have changed slightly coinciding with my system adapting, but of course that's just a theory. It would explain why I'm no longer orange. It's possible that the rest of you will also experience the same issue if it hasn't already happened. I better run some tests on the rest of you to be safe. Since you're here I might as well start with you."

The tests came back and Jimmy studied them in great deal. "Well I have some good news for you Cindy. It seems your system has adapted as well and your mutant gene is no longer repressed."

"But I don't feel any different. Are you sure? None of my powers are working."

"Your abilities worked different than mine and your gene seems to have remained inactive up until a few hours ago. My guess is that it has to do with the way our powers work. Mine are clearly fueled by high emotions. The high stress levels I have dealt with since this plaque began must have been the proper catalyst to reactivate the altered gene. In a nut shell the madder I got the stronger I got. Anyhow when you were originally Specialgirl I had determined that you got your powers because your body absorbed and converted vast amounts of solar radiation into a form of energy that fueled your powers. It is logical to assume that if you were exposed to a high amount of radiation that your gene would become active."

"But I haven't been around anything radioactive lately."

"It was me Cin."

"What? What do you mean it was you?"

"My sensors were able to detect that when I was in that other form that my body was given off high amounts of gamma radiation. I can only guess that it must have reactivated your gene. The reason your powers haven't returned yet must be because it is only starting its conversion process. Remember that when we passed through the Van Patton radiation belt that not only did you gain the mutant gene but your body absorbed and stored the ambient radiation. It has been over a year since your body used up the last of its reserves.

My guess is that your body is like an empty battery. You are once again capable of storing the energy but need to take the time to charge. You'll simply have to wait as your body fills back up. I could potentially speed it up by using some high powered full spectrum lamps I have in the lab if you're interested."

She looked at him with a loving look and said "I'm up for it. I completely trust you."

"You do?" he grinned and she blushed at how apparently touched he was by her compliment.

He set up the lamps in the glass cubicle that once held love potion 976-J. The room would be perfect to magnify the lamps and allow him to properly observe without exposing himself to them. He handed her a pair of goggles that would shield her eyes from the bright lights and she prepared to enter the room.

"Now remember your body adapted to the gene. This could mean your powers have been altered as well. You could have the same powers as the last time or potentially have new powers."

"Jimmy wouldn't I get the most exposure if I wasn't …dressed?" She felt awkward saying it but he was her boyfriend after all.

"Well you are technically right. I don't have to be at the observation window if it makes you more comfortable."

"No it's alright. You should be there just in case anything goes wrong. Besides there are two other reasons I can think of why it shouldn't matter. One of course is the fact that we are dating, not to mention you weren't embarrassed to be naked in front of me after you turned back to your human form. The second of course is that you already saw everything. You did spend a week in my body after all. Which reminds me, I want you to finally admit that you were the one imagining us walking down that country lane while holding hands and kissing weren't you?"

"To be honest with you Cindy, that was the both of us and I think you know it. Our minds were able to share the same day dream not just because they were pooled together but because we were actually sharing the dream. His response made her happy. She disrobed and walked into the chamber and positioned herself on the transparent slab she was meant to lay on. The lights activated and they felt warm on her skin. She was cozy and the warmth was soothing.

He tried to keep his mind focused on the science as he observed and monitored her absorption rate. The sensors were monitoring the change. Her metabolism was accelerating. Her cells were become saturated in the energy. He estimated that in five hours she would be at full power. He flipped on the mike and let her know the updates. She felt her strength returning. "Cindy the scanner has detected that your cells are giving off a bioelectric field. My guess is that it forms a protective force field around your body. An incoming attack would have to be able to get passed the field to do any damage. That would explain why you were able to take so much damage."

The lights shut down with an audible snap when the timer was finished. The door opened up automatically and Jimmy pressed the PA system on button "How do you feel Cindy?" He looked in and watched with that same scientific curiosity as she got to her feet.

He felt a light breeze on the back of his neck like someone blew on him and he turned to glance at the source. He screamed in surprise when he saw Cindy inches from him. "Wow that was fast Cindy. I didn't even see you move."

"I feel great Jimmy. I think I 'm more powerful than before. I feel amazing."

"She was suddenly in his lap with her arms around his neck. He was pleasantly startled. She kissed him gently. Despite his attempt to remain scientifically detached his eyes turned green with the excitement of her kiss and lack of apparel. It was about that point that they discovered that Jimmy had become pyrokinetic. He erupted in a fiery aura that lapped harmlessly around him and Cindy. His chair unfortunately ignited and the fire alarm wailed. Nozzles descended from the ceiling and blasted white foam all over the lab. "Well it seems you have the ability to cover yourself in fire Jimmy."

"What can I say, I get really hot around you Cindy." He breathed in deeply and attempted to relax.

She watched as his eyes changed over and smiled at the compliment. "Maybe I should put some clothes on." She was instantly standing a few feet away. "Let me see if I can take care of this mess first." She inhaled deeply and blew. The wind rushed out of her and the fire retardant foam blew off of everything and settled in a foamy pool at the back of the lab.

"I can get used to moving this fast. It's crazy. I'm just deciding where I want to be and my body just does it. I have an idea. She floated up to the ceiling and spun around vertically and started walking on the ceiling. "Sweet! I must have complete control over my own personal gravity."

"Cindy I have something for you. Please stand right over here." She floated over to the spot he had pointed and landed softly.

"Vox, target Cindy, wardrobe change RP837"

A tube descended from the ceiling directly over Cindy. There was a soft hiss as it filled with a grey colored gas. The tube reseeded and Cindy was standing dressed there in her Specialgirl costume.

"Jimmy, where did you get this?"

"Well as sappy as it sounds you were and always will be Specialgirl to me. So I salvaged the costume after you no longer had your powers. I kind of was hoping that one day I would be able to find a way to give them back to you. It's ironic that I did just that, but not in the way I had pictured."

"Now when you say salvaged, do you mean rummaged through my trash bag?"

"Well you could look at it that way. But I knew exactly which one it was. I saw you throw it away remember?"

"That is a very sweet thing. Now you mentioned field testing. What and where did you have in mind?"

"Well the safest place we could go that wouldn't harm any property would be out in the middle of the desert. I can prepare the Strato XL for our departure if you're ready."

"Jimmy with the speed I'm moving around this place I'm pretty sure I'm a lot faster than your rocket."

"No way, my rocket can go over 36,000 miles per hour."

"I'm betting I can go faster than that." She grinned devilishly with that smug she knows she is going to win look.

"What do I get if you're wrong?" he asked.

"How about my respect and my promise to not tease you anymore?" she said in a surprisingly sweet tone.

"Deal, and if you win?" He grinned in the same manner

"Spend a week with me at "our" island. No friends, no parents, no zombies. Just you and me with no interruptions"

"Agreed." He reached out and they shook on it. This bet was great. Whether he won or lost he still won and it made him happy. _I swear it was as if Cindy and I were made for each other. We already complement each other as mental peers and now I'm pyrokinetic and she is fire proof. _

The race:

Jimmy and Cindy turned on their two way radio headsets and performed a performance test. They confirmed they could hear each other and Jimmy went through the procedures to start the rocket. "Batteries to power, turbines to speed!"

The rocket blasted off and he raced into the clouds. Cindy kept pace as he leveled off. They were cruising at about 5,000 feet.

It felt good to be flying in his old rocket again. It reminded him of how things were before this all started. A lot can change in a short amount of time though. "Cindy can you hear me?"

"Yeah I can hear you Jimmy." You ready to try to keep up with me?"

"Ready when you are."

He pulled back on the lever and the rocket jerked hard as it accelerated. He let out a shout of joy as the rocket rushed forward. Cindy accelerated right after him and was once again keeping pace. He was going over 25,000mph and he had to admit he was impressed she was keeping up. "How much faster do you think you can go Cindy?"

He didn't wait for her answer and pulled hard on the accelerator lever opening it all the way up. The rocket raced forward all the way up to its top speed. He was sure she would fall behind. The victory was certainly his. But she pulled up alongside of him and gave him the thumbs up.

Her voice came over the radio "Is that all you got Jimmy?"

"Yeah, this is the rocket's top speed. How much faster do you think you can go?"

"Well….."

She concentrated on going faster and he watched her take off as if he was standing still. A moment later she was out of sight. He scanned left and right but couldn't see her anywhere. But then she rocketed in from behind him and was pacing with him again. "I lapped you Jimmy"

"What do you mean you lapped me?"

"I went around the entire Earth."

"That's insane you were only gone a few moments. You would have to have been going near the speed of light to pull that off."

"I feel it's safe to say I won this bet wouldn't you say? Let's head home and drop off the rocket. She giggled and said "I would race you home but I wouldn't want to have to wait around for you to finally make it there." She flew over to the rocket and slipped gently into the seat right behind Jimmy. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on his cheek. He sighed and kissed her left hand. "You never seize to amaze me Cindy."

"Finally willing to admit it, huh?" He simply grinned at her and shrugged his shoulders. "Jimmy I think when we head out to the island, we should pack whatever we'lll need in your hypercube and then I'll fly us out there. What do you think?"

"That sounds great to me."

To be continued….


	7. The feast:

A/N: It's time to make this a zombie story like it should be. This will become progressively and unnecessarily gory. I hope you enjoy my sick imagination.

The Zombie picked up the arm. It held it up and examined it with its primitive senses. The arm had been there for several hours but the coagulated blood was still appealing. It tried to bite into the arm but failed due to its missing lower jaw. It wailed in frustration. A gaseous moan came out of the remains of its ragged throat. Its puss filled left eye pulsated for a few moments before the bug larvae pushed its way through the cloudy pupil.

The moan attracted another zombie that was wandering around in the building as well. This one was missing one eye and the hole was ragged and a yellow colored liquid was slowly bubbling and slowly dripping from it. Its face was a ragged mess with patches of bones and muscle showing. It reached out with its one remaining arm, the other was a bloody stump, and a game of tug of war began over who would have the arm. It managed to pry the arm away from the jaw less zombie and stumbled away enjoying its feast. It wasted no time biting mouth sized chunks out of the meaty bicep, which it swallowed whole. This arm clearly belonged to someone who worked out.

The zombie's stomach was filled with human remains to the point where it was ready to burst. Yet it still felt that gnawing and insatiable hunger. The arm was nothing more but bones now but it still sucked on them as it searched for new meat. The gas from decay of not only its own body but the remains in its stomach slowly built up to the point where it was ready to rupture. The good news is that when the stomach ruptured only one living creature was alive to smell the foul stench in the air. She was a strong and independent girl in her day to day life. But in this new post apocalyptic time since the rising she was now simply the cowering victim that unfortunately found herself trapped in a corner of McSpanky's.

Her name was Emily and she was good looking with brown eyes and brown hair that had attended Retroville High school before heading off to college. She had been on her first date with her new boyfriend Aaron. He was a scholar athlete. He worked hard to support his mother's addiction to drinking vodka and gambling at his job at the local super market. The zombies found her sobbing in the kitchen area. Her pleads fell on deaf ears as they continued its approach.

She didn't intend to go without a fight. She held a frying pan in her hand and waved it menacingly. If the zombies recognized the gesture in the darkest recesses of their primitive minds they made no indication. The zombie with the missing arm was closest and she swung with all her might. The frying pan connected with his bloated stomach and it burst pushing a concoction of black bile and gas out of its mouth. The stench was horrendous and sickening. Emily dropped the frying pan as she put her hands on her mouth in a vain attempt to stop the flow of throw up that rushed out of her queasy stomach.

She looked up into the lifeless zombie as it grew closer. She begged for him to stop. He responded by choking up a puss and bile covered wrist watch. It hit the ground with a clack setting off its chime. Emily recognized the sound and shape as the watch that had belonged to her date Aaron. Her mind raced with panic. She looked for a gap between the mobs that had piled into the room. She looked for a way to escape but there was no way out.

The zombies grabbed her. She felt there cold, dry skin on her forearms as they held her arms tightly. She struggled to pull herself free but more hands grabbed her tightly. It was useless. So many zombies were pushing and shoving to get at her that the ones closest toppled over violently pulling her to the ground. She screamed and screamed for help. But there was no one that could or would help her.

The one armed zombie with the ruptured stomach managed to crawl over her so they met eye to eye. His remaining eye was cloudy but seemed to focus on Emily for a moment. She recognized his torn ragged face. It was her father. He bit into her cheek and pulled away a bloody and mouthful leaving a ragged hole. The black bile dripped into her mouth as she screamed.

Dozens of zombies descended on her and bit and tore chunks from her once beautiful body. They feasted on her intestines that they slowly unraveled from her insides. Everyone there enjoyed the feast. Except for Emily it would seem. She really was ungrateful considering that she was the guest of honor.

It is unfortunate to report that the zombies released venom into her with the first painful bites that keep its victim alive. So she felt everything right up until her heart was pulled still beating from her chest. She was little less than a skeleton by that point. At least she didn't have to watch them eat her once her eyes were tore out by those cold undead fingers.

To be continued….


	8. the beast

The battered streets of Retroville:

The remains of the dead were scattered along the terrain. The Jimmy-Hulk had crushed, maimed, and tore apart hundreds of them. The slimy rotten sludge retained some kind of undead life within its stench and puss filled green colored fluid. An electrical charge rippled over its surface as it slowly began to take shape into a humanoid form. A mouth formed and slowly opened, sticky fluid clung and stretched on random points of its swollen and newly formed lips.

A ghastly moan escaped from the churning rotted insides. It held up to skeletal hands and gripped them into fists as yellow cat like eyes formed in the previously empty eye sockets. It saw the world for the first time. It stared at amazement at its hands as the most primitive thoughts began to be produced in its newly formed mind. But those thoughts turned quickly from amazement to ones of pants sh*&ting horror as the deaths of all the corpses it was made up flooded uncontrollably through its mind. It grabbed the sides of its head and screamed again and again.

It dropped to its knees and its shrieks turned to a guttural roar. Its body continued to grow and change. Its skin hardened and turned grey as bony protrusions appeared on its knee caps, elbows, shoulders, knuckles, chin, and forehead. Its spine split through the newly formed skin and produced spines that stuck out six inches. A green fluid dripped out of the tips of the spine that smelled incredibly foul.

The creature stood up and surveyed its surroundings. A ravenous hunger gnawed at it. It sniffed the air and detected something that smelled wonderful among the stench of the dead around it. It took its first wobbly steps and headed toward the smell. It was coming from a store front. It peered into the darkened interior but saw easy enough with its cat like eyes. It detected movement and with a few quick poundings the glass shattered that had barred its entrance. A scream of terror came from within. The creature's eyes immediately found the source of the scream. It was a pretty little girl who was hiding behind the register counter with her father and mother. The sight of them was exciting and made it hunger more than it thought was possible.

It was a tad difficult for it to climb up and into the window but once it found its footing the feast began. Oh the tender morsels tried to fight of course. But the creature wasn't weak like its brotherin. The father came forward with a tire iron. It stood there and allowed the weak and pitiful human to try to protect its family. It didn't even block as the tire iron bounced harmlessly off its head. It retaliated swiftly. It grabbed the man by his throat and lifted him off his feet with blinding speed. It snarled in his face before snapping his neck and tossing him in a heap to the ground.

The screams continued as it ripped the mother in half and consumed her right in front of the child that for whatever reason it decided to spare.

She was found later shaking scared, but otherwise unharmed. A hot cup of cocoa and a change of her underwear prepared her for the years of therapy a head of her, and her eventual suicide.

Elsewhere:

Sheen got a crazy idea to sneak into the lab while the area seemed clear of zombies in order to look for something he could use to help his friends. He spotted the brain drain helmet. He knew it was a mere flip of a switch and the helmet could stipulate his IQ as it had done before. What harm could it do? He could fix the problem he ran into last time, where his head kept growing parallel to his IQ, as soon as he was a genius again. So he flipped the switch and placed in on his head. The electricity illuminated the dark lab in flashes as it worked.

He removed the helmet and the world that seemed to usually be in an Ultra Lord induced foggy haze cleared. He looked at the helmet and immediately understood that it was merely a blown fuse in the device that caused the error. He worked feverishly for a few moments to fix the error and replaced the helmet back on his head. A second flash and a teeth chattering zap left Sheen with full control over his amazing physic powers and vast intellect, but without the side effect of an enormous head.

He concentrated for a moment and the steel doors in the ceiling opened, the ones that the rocket normally blasts out of, and he levitated out through the opening.

To be continued…..


End file.
